Recreation and Tourism

Industry in Colombia

DW&PS
Carlos Surez
csuarezvelez@dow.com

Industry Overview
Water in the Recreation and Tourism Industry

Water Usage Index

Colombia
Both the Atlantic Coast and San
Andres are ranked as regions with
Very High Water Usage
These two regions will be the first
ones that will be approached in order
to find opportunities for DW&PS

A Very High Water Usage Index

means that the ratio
Water Demand / Water Supply
Is more than 50%

Water Vulnerability Index

Colombia
The Atlantic Coast and San Andres
along with a Very High Water Usage
Index
have
a
High
Water
Vulnerability which indicates that
solutions to improve its water
conditions might have a big impact
for the region

The Water Vulnerability Index

indicates the fragility of the
water system to keep a supply
of water in episodes like El
Nio

Water Availability Per Capita

m3/hab/year

Colombia

YEAR
Source: Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible

Water Expenses - Hotels

Expenses

2011 (MM USD) 2012 (MM USD) Dif. 2012-2011

Piped Water
Sewerage
Acquisition of devices for the water supply system
Water treatment supplies
Water treatment equipment
Equipments for rain water harvesting
TOTAL

$
$
$
$
$
$
$

5,90
4,79
0,23
0,19
0,40
0,09
11,59

$
$
$
$
$
$
$

6,68
5,09
0,34
0,26
0,16
0,02
12,54

13%
6%
49%
37%
-61%
-79%
8%

Participation (%)
2012
53%
41%
3%
2%
1%
0%
100%

Water Related Expenses by Region

2012
Regions of Interest

0%
7%

Atlantica

10%
34%

Bogota
San Andres

11%

Central
Oriental

13%

Pacifica
25%

The regions of interest are the

Atlantic Coast and San Andres Island
which represented 48% of the water
expenses in 2012 in the Hotel
Industry

Amazonia

*Encuesta Ambiental de Hoteles done by the DANE in 398 Hotels in 2012

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Water Sources - Hotels

Source
Aqueduct
Surface Water
Groundwater
Tank Truck Water
Rainwater
Seawater
TOTAL

Volume 2011

Volume 2012

(thousands m ) (thousands m )
5.657
5.772
1.775
2.360
144
1.140
2
5
174
180
33
82
7.783
9.538

Dif. 2012-2011
2%
33%
692%
194%
4%
148%
23%

Participation (%)
2012
61%
25%
12%
0%
2%
1%
100%

Water Cost

Water Usage

Given a piped water consumption of

5,72 MM m3 and 6,68 MM USD
expeded during 2012. The average
cost of piped water was 1,16 USD/m3

The national standard of water usage

in the Hotel Industry is
0,5 m3/room/day

Tourism Industry

There are incentives from the government to increase the Tourism

infrastructure. During the last 5 years the number of available rooms have
increased in more than 14.000 and 201 hotels have been opened

Cartagena
Water Consumption
Rooms 2014:
Rooms 2015-2016:

Water Supply

9.700
12.500

Water Consumption
m3/day

2014: 4.850
2015: 6.250 m3/day

Main water supply: Canal del Dique

(Magdalena River)

Acucar provides water services and

sewerage

Top Hotels by Capacity

Water Consumption
Top 7 hotels:
Capacity:
Water
Consumption:

2.159 rooms
1.091 m3/day

Santa Marta

Water Supply
-

Water Consumption

Metroagua S.A. E.S.P. is the water

operator.
North Zone:

Rooms 2013:

6.000

Water Consumption
2014: 3.000 m3/day

Water Supply: Rio Piedras Rio Manzanares

On Summer: the water supply is supplemented
with deep groundwater wells extraction
Treatment Plant: 0,4 m3/s

Top Hotels by Capacity

Water Consumption

Water Supply: Rio Gaira

Top 8 hotels:
Capacity:
Water
Consumption:

South Zone:

1.242 rooms
622 m3/day

On Summer: the water supply is supplemented

with 4 deep groundwater wells extraction
Treatment Plant: 0,52 m3/s

Rio Manzanares is the main source of water for the city

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San Andres
Water Supply

Water Consumption

Rooms 2013:

6.088

Water Consumption
2013: 3.044

There are 3 sources:

m3/day

Underground Water
Seawater
Rainwater

There are no freshwater streams, that

is why the groundwater sources are
exploited to the full

San Andres has a desalination plant

(Lox Bight) with a capacity of
0,05 m3/s. The operator is Proactiva
Aguas del Archipielago S.A.

Rio Manzanares is the main source of water for the city

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Environmental Legislation
Hotels
Current Legislation
There are some Environmental Certifications
for the Hotels. However none of them are
mandatory nor exclusive for Water.

Certification that demonstrates

that the entity complies with an
environmental criteria based on
the life cycle of its products or
services.

NTC 5133: Sello Ambiental Colombiano

Certificacion Turistica Sostenible

Developed to improve the

touristic services in Colombia. It
aims to increase the quality and
sustainability of the hotels
thought a better utilization of its
resources

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Opportunities
What is happening?

New investments in Tourism

Infrastructure

Water availability issues at

places like Santa Marta and
San Andres

How can we participate?

Water treatment for:

-Process Water
-Recirculation
-Cooling Systems*

- Desalination

* Also an opportunity for Biocides

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